Ellis Robyn MallettThe Islamist militant group ISIS (Islamic State and Syria) aim to create a barbaric Islamic State across the borders of Syria and Iraq. Evolving from the previous terrorist group “Al Qaeda” back in 2004 and subsequent, the aims remain the same: dominance, nationalism and inevitable warfare.
The priority of their terrorist regime is the conflict between Iraq Shias and Iraq Sunnis, with ISIS members themselves being only of the Iraq Sunnis identity. The difference between the two is that the majority of the Iraqi population remain as ‘Shias’, and it is important to notice that when Sadam Hussain was in power he glorified himself as a Sunnis member, establishing that they were the majority and legitimate rulers. ISIS have demonstrated clear control and if not flexibility in Iraq by winning over discontented Sunnis citizens against the Shia led government, gaining the support from locals they need to become more successful in their fatal plan to destroy these innocent nations.
Isis now controls territory that stretches from eastern Aleppo, Syria, to Falluja in western Iraq and now the northern city of Mosul. The group’s brutality is evident through endless killings of innocent lives, often carried out by crucifixion, beheading and amputations. As well, analysts have suggested that ISIS are well equipped with resources not just in terms of military as they run the equivalent of a state; inputting schools, courts and services and even going to the extent of beginning a consumer protection authority. The main advantage being the financially valuable Conaco gas field and large extortion network in Mosul, each of these resources contribute largely to the success of the ISIS driven state.
Interestingly, as ISIS seem to be becoming somewhat successful in their aims, it is British and American lives that are suffering as so far a total of four videos showing excruciating images of western hostages being beheaded have been released. Each video proposes an ideology that the British and American government’s are not obliging to the foreign policy compromised by ISIS as this can be seen through the “script”  prior to each assassination: “Because of our parliament’s decision to attack the Islamic State, I, as a member of the British public, will now pay the price for that decision”, spoken by the latest British hostage Alan Henning.
It will be interesting to see how the British and American governments overcome this continual barbaric situation.